The Journey to Freedom

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Fast Day

I love fast day Sundays. I love our testimony meetings. Our new bishop is always so inspiring. Even when he was the councilor I loved when it was his turn to bear testimony. Today he talked about this year looking for the Lord in the small things of your life. He said there aren't very many times the Lord does spectacular miracles like parting the Red Sea. We get discouraged looking for the fantastic job or that eternal companion. He said instead of being discouraged look for the the Lord's miracles in our lives in the small things that happen. In the small increments. He promised our year would be rich and fulfilling as we recognize the Lord in our lives. It is interesting that our ward is like an international meeting spot. I love when Gavin bears his testimony. He has been a member just over a year and I am sure the Lord has some amazing things ahead for him. He will be a great leader in the church. He just went to the temple and works on the missionary committee. He is from Sir Lanka just below India.

Then we had a young man bear his testimony from China. He has been investigating the church for a month and is a golden contact. He said that he attended a Catholic school and he said he was not interested in Christianity because they tell you what you should do and what the Lord wants but they don't live it. He told about some members he met that invited him to church. He told about how his life was going to work then on Friday and Saturday drinking at the bars and Sunday sleeping with a hangover. He talked about how hard it was to go to church that first Sunday. Then he told about how his life was being transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We had a young lady from the country of Georgia located by Armenia. She was the first full time missionary to serve from that country. She has just graduated from BYU-I and is doing an internship with hopes of getting a job. She comes from a small branch in Georgia. Like I said I love our testimony meetings.

Then our Relief Society lesson was so well given that she inspired me to come home and get my goals listed for the up coming year. One of the sisters in the class said that she loved the quote that said, "A year from today you will thank yourself for beginning today." They also used the quote "The days are long but the years are short." When we are doing the things we have resolved to do the days are long and sometimes it is hard to do them but when you get to the end of the year and see what was accomplished it didn't take that long. She asked a very thought provoking question. What is the difference between being stubborn and resolute? To me one means a resistance to change and the other invites change.

We love serving with the young people. We got a ride home after church today because a young man wanted an office chair we were trying to get rid of. We had a great conversation with him. These are dynamic young people that we work with. We are so blessed to be able to serve in this mission on this assignment.

I also love when my children start a texting war. We were deciding who had the best dinner today. After I worked the rest of the afternoon on a writing project I am trying to get done before we are back to our 12 to 14 hour days.